Self-Portrait

Question

Alla was dismayed to find herself in the drawing studio. She had been sick with the flu during the week when everyone else got to pick their classes. She had hoped for Astronomy or Marine Biology, but they were full by the time she got to choose. She loved everything about science, from the way it used facts and formulas to how it revealed the basic nature of things. But art was so....un-scientific.
The first class project was self-portraits. Some students were drawing self-portraits using mirrors. Others were working from photographs. Alia glanced at the incomplete sketches, feeling like a cat in a dog show.
The teacher came up to Alia's easel and sat next to her.
"Every portrait begins with a circle," he said. "Then you create a series of lines."
To demonstrate, he drew a group of small, quick portraits. He began each one with a circle, some straight lines, and a triangle to determine where the eyes, nose, and chin should go. Alla had never thought about it, but the features of everyone's face were in the same spots.
Hesitantly, Alia began her own self-portrait. She drew the basic form of a head, the way she had been shown. From there, she used lines to plot the features of her face. The process took patience and precision. She had to take note of each detail. One wrong measurement could throw off the whole portrait.
Alia was surprised by the structure and discipline involved in drawing a portrait. Measuring, studying details, revealing the basic nature of something-it reminded her of what she loved about science.

Using the RACE strategy, identify the theme of this passage and support it with details from the passage.

Answer 1

Theme: The theme of this passage is the unexpected connection between art and science, highlighting how both disciplines involve observation, precision, and structure.

Supporting Details:

1. Initial Disappointment: At the beginning of the passage, Alia expresses her dismay at being placed in an art class instead of her preferred science classes, suggesting that she initially sees art as unrelated to her interests.
2. Structure of Portraits: The teacher demonstrates how every portrait begins with a circle and is built up using lines to map out the features of the face. This methodical approach illustrates that art has its own set of rules and structure, similar to scientific processes.
3. Patience and Precision: As Alia begins to draw her self-portrait, she realizes that the process requires patience and precision. She notes that one wrong measurement could affect the outcome, mirroring scientific inquiry where accuracy is crucial.
4. Revelation of Connections: Ultimately, Alia finds that the meticulous nature of drawing — measuring, studying details, and revealing the basic nature of something — resonates with her love for science, suggesting that art can also embody the principles she values in the scientific field.

Through these details, the passage conveys how Alia discovers the underlying similarities between art and science, transforming her initial reluctance into an appreciation for both subjects.